552. TELEGRAM TO F. F. RASKOLNIKOV AND S. M. KIROV[1]
In code
14. III. 1920
Raskolnikov and Kirov
Fleet Command
Astrakhan
Your plans are based on deep water shipment, but Babkin proposes that the oil be transported by way of Belinskaya Bank, in shallow water off shore, so that the enemy fleet can neither capture nor sink it. With a draught of from 4 to 5 quarters he names as suitable the steamships Jambai, Ukno, Ratmir, Lev, Neva, Lyubimy, Kirghiz, Alexander, and the barges Pluto, Apollo, Medusa, Rusalka, Valeria, Stephania and others. Pumping over at Belinskaya Bank. He believes that in this way it is possible to transport 320,000 in one trip and 1,600,000 a month. Report your opinion.
Lenin
Notes
[1] At the top of the manuscript Lenin wrote: “After coding -2 return to me. Lenin.”—Ed.